(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to metal handling machinery and more particularly to billet loading mechanisms on extrusion press machines.
(2) Prior Art
An extrusion press is utilized to force a heated metal slug or billet through a shaped orifice called a die. The die may be mounted on a carrier supported on a horizontal track adjacent a massive vertically arranged plate, permitting the changing of die shapes and sizes as production requires. The diameter of the billets which are forced through the dies are changed as production requirements change, and the container for holding and maintaining heat in the billets during their extrusion also must be changed as those requirements change. The billets, which are heated to temperatures of about 1200.degree. must be transferred from a heated billet source to coaxial alignment with the container in a smooth and efficient manner, to minimize heat loss and eliminate damage to the container, to the billet loader and/or to the billet and its associated dummy block.
The billet loaders must be adjusted to the proper size when the billet diameters are changed in order to accommodate the alignment changes with the container and to permit proper functioning thereof. The billet loaders get hot from transferring the hot billets from the billet source to the billet container. This makes the adjustment thereof very difficult, which is usually done with a plurality of adjustable screws arranged in the loader head, the proper readjustment of which takes considerable time, and which adjustment means get dirtied by hot metal scraps. The billet loaders of the prior art also have to be realigned each time to permit the axis of the container to closely line-up with the axis of the dummy block and the billet, or else the container would be damaged during loading thereof.
It is thus an object of the present invention, to provide a billet loader for an extrusion press which is simple and efficient to operate and adjust.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a billet loader for an extrusion press which provides for prealignment of the billets with respect to the axis of the container.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a billet loader with means for minimizing damage to itself and the extrusion press in case of a control or guidance malfunction therein during the loading or alignment operation.